On The Diet with Heidi Merritt

who will get the fishie on the little dishie,

who will get the fishy when the boat comes in?



Kevin, do you live in Kumano? I note that it's a very popular fish in that region, whether steamed, grilled, or in raw and fermented ‘zushi’ preparations with vinagared rice.













Not sure why (perhaps my Irish coastal heritage?), but a fishy query means hours of enjoyment for your host! So if you’d like to slow the flow of Potpourri, or you just want more pretty piscal pictures, haul in those sea-creature mysteries & dump ‘em on my deck! ;-D they are most welcome!!

I would like to know if all tomatoes are alike, regardless of color. I always eat yellow tomatoes because of the acid content. Does color have anything to do with the lectins? Thank you Katy



Yep, they all contain the tomato lectin, no matter the color!

I am puzzled as to why aloe vera is forbidden for blood group O and not recommended for the other groups, except possibly A, when, to my knowledge, most of the people who take aloe vera benefit considerably from its medicinal properties. Are the harmful lectins found only in the leaf? Is an aloe vera drink consisting only of the inner gel considered suitable? Kathryn



Here's the original Ask Dr. D'Adamo page on aloe. Since that time, further findings upgraded aloe to beneficial for type A secretors, and neutral for A nonsecretors. For everyone else, it remains an avoid due to the lectin activity in the gel, or pulp, of the plant.

I work for a vitamin company that sells a product with phenylalanine in it to thousands of people - according to my own survey with these people most have blood type A. I read that for blood type A, phenylalanine may cause higher cholesterol levels; would taking phenylalanine also cause weight gain in these people? I have had numerous complaints that people have been putting on weight since starting to take our product. Could it also cause anxiety? Your help is much appreciated. Sandra



Yes, it could certainly cause weight gain, and higher cholesterol. Not sure about anxiety, although it may be a secondary effect. See the Ask Dr. D regarding As & quorn -- phenylalanine inactivates intestinal alkaline phosphatase, thus they will tend to store more fat rather than metabolize it. Of the four ABO types, As tend to have the lowest levels of IAP ~ and they need to avoid substances which reduce it further.

I was wondering after reading the Eat Right For Your Type, if there is anything about desserts in there? Syrup? I am new to this diet and trying to follow it to a "T"! I am Type A. If there is another book that I need to buy, that is fine, just let me know. So far I am feling great, but my sweet tooth is killing me! Any information would be helpful. Thnks Shelly



NOTE ADDED: I originally suggested L-glutamine for cravings -- however, L-glutamine should be avoided by types A and B because it raises cortisol levels. Vegetable glycerine is a fabulous replacement for sugar and actually helps stabilize sugar metabolism! Try it in your modified-for-A dessert recipes! And see our RECIbase® pages for some custom-made dessert ideas. :-)

I am new to the BTD diet, 2 weeks. I would like to know what you think about Clif Bars. I am type A and I noticed that the ingredients fall within the type A guidlines. I am on a busy schedule and usually do not have the luxury of eating the right foods. I have been snacking between meals on peanut butter Clif Bars. Dion



Over a year ago, I brought home a variety of supp shoppe snack bars for an informal look-see and taste test. The Clif bars rated better than average on the ingredient list, and several of their varieties are avoid-free for type A secretors. However, my type A nonsecretor man and I (O nonsecretor) agreed that they contain way too much sugar for our taste. We both also felt sugar-shocked from just a few bites. In my opinion, the protein-fat-carb balance and ingredient quality of Peter's bars are far superior to anything else I've seen on the shelves. Try some and see if the reduced sweetness and higher protein factor might work for you! Note: at this time, the bars are being reformulated, so we'll see the new & improved ones early next year. For now, you might keep a bag of trail mix with you: throw in some peanuts, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts, organic chocolate chips (Sunspire® makes them), dried apricot, blueberries, cranberries or cherries, maybe some crisped rice, etc. to your taste.

Many thanks for the Qs, tips, and shared wisdom from all our readers!

Welcome to the BTD, Pam! I do envy you one-type households! :-)



1. Avocadoes are an avoid for type O secretors due to a lectin.



2. Ginseng, gingko and St. John's Wort are popular herbs which work far better for types A and AB than they do for Os. If you're using them for their anti-aging, cognitive enhancement and mood stablization properties, may I suggest the potent adaptogen Rhodiola Rosea (Russian Rhodiola, or Arctic Root), supplementary thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1) and L-tyrosine instead? St. John's Wort in particular isn't recommended for Os ~ it is an MAO inhibitor, and we have the lowest levels of MAO of all the blood types to begin with. Your husband may also benefit from a supp called 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), especially if he is a nonsecretor. In the Store on this site, you can purchase Catechol, which is ideal for mood elevation in type Os, and contains several of the separate compounds noted above. I have to put in my classic plug for strenuous exercise here: it's unmatched for balancing type O mood swings, and is fully 50% of our health plan for very good reason. Those workouts not only build muscle, melt fat and pep up our digestion ~ they boost functioning of every organ system, including the endocrine (stress relief) and neurosystem (for that happy brain). end of lecture! now grab yer sneaks & GO! :-D



3. The main reason why pickles are a no-no is that cucumbers are an O avoid (one of the changes in the food lists since BTD). Check the TYPEbase 3® online database (also linked on our homepage) for food changes... and keep an eye on the Updates Page for any future additions or modifications.



4. Hominy/grits is a corn product ~ nix on that one! :-}



5. Cilantro is listed as "coriander" in your book (separately in Live Right 4 Your Type), and is neutral for nearly everyone (beneficial for A nonsecretors).



Once you and your husband have adjusted to your new diet and activities, I doubt you'll miss those old avoids much. There's plenty of great food on our Beneficial and Neutral lists, so the key (here, as in so many things) is to form new habits to crowd out the ones we formed before. Drop me a line on how it's going for you two ~~ and thanks for writing, Pamela!!

_

Dear Pam ~ Thank you for writing to me, and I hope I can be of some little help to you. Infantile Blount's disease (infantile tibia vara) is a condition that NOTHING in your diet during pregnancy or nursing could POSSIBLY have had ANYTHING to do with! I want to emphasize that you could not have done anything differently that would have precluded your daughter's condition. You are NOT AT FAULT in any way. You have done the absolute best things for her, and for yourself. This is most likely a genetic disease, for which no test is possible until the baby is born and shows symptoms.

An interesting note in regard to your concern: http://www3.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Omim/dispmim?259200.cs

-- indicates that this is an inherited disease (autosomal recessive), not multifactoral -- in other words, NOT a condition which your choice of food or exercise could have played any part in. These heart-wrenching things can happen with children -- it's part of what we risk in having them! -- and the parent's foremost responsibility and concern now is to realise that NOW is the only time that matters. NOW is when you can do the best thing for your child. :-)

I've been reading about Blount's for months now, hoping to find an alternative/complementary medical strategy to alleviate it. The good news is, now that your daughter is 24 months old, this is an excellent time for the first interventions.

Following are the references I found useful in understanding this condition and the best approaches to resolve it.

-- a simple explanation from an Illinois Pediatric Institute

http://www.orthoseek.com/articles/blount.html

-- specifics from a pediatrics site in hawaii:

http://www2.hawaii.edu/medicine/pediatrics/pemxray/v4c16.html

"Blount's Disease is a major cause of angular

deformation in children. It is also called infantile tibia

vara and results from some problem with the growth of

the posteriomedial aspect of the tibial physis.

Physiologic bowing usually has resolved by age 3, but

Blount's disease advances to more severe angulation.

Bracing is needed for those children between 14 and 30

months if the metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle is 9 to 16

degrees and the knee is unstable when walking."

-- 5 minute consultations (http://www.bayviewortho.com/Referrals/Consultant/5minconsult.html#Blounts Disease) says:

"Blounts Disease -- by Jennifer Lindsey

Description: Abnormality of the proximal tibial growth plate causing excessive varus alignment of the knees (bowed legs) in children.

Appropriate Care: Children presenting under 3 yrs of age with minimal deformity can undergo a trial of bracing. This should be a long brace from hip to ankle locked at knee. Most orthoapedists recommend this be worn day and night. If bracing fails to correct the deformity, or if the patient presents with moderate - severe deformity and age over 3 yrs, a realignment procedure is needed."

-- According to http://www.healthchecksystems.com/tchild.htm, primarily concerned with body composition (fat/muscle) in children,

"In a study of Blount's disease (severe bowing of the legs) approximately 80% of patients were obese."

I wish they'd provided the study.

-- a technical orthopedic site: http://gait.aidi.udel.edu/res695/homepage/pd_ortho/educate/clincase/blount.htm

-- Surgery after a certain age is not completely effective:

http://www.medmedia.com/l8/172.htm

-- Here are some very recent surgical recommendations/results based upon Langenskiöld's procedures (this is highly technical -- take it to your orthopedic pediatrician):

http://www.smaservicesinc.com/soa/jsoafl97/9text.htm

-- More recommendations and specific advice from http://www.pediatric-orthopedics.com/Topics/Bow_Legs/bow_legs.html boils down to:

-- bracing ASAP is indicated, along with carefully targeted xrays of the entire hip/leg/ankle/foot. 24 months is an ideal time to do so, in order to avoid surgery.

-- From the highly technical "limblengthening news" site (more stuff to cut & paste for your orthopedic pediatrician):

http://www.limblengthening.com/news/blount.html

"While there is a general consensus that correction of the varus deformity in Blount's disease is desirable, there have been many methods advocated. These include open or percutaneous osteotomy in the metaphysis of the proximal tibia, opening or closing wedge correction, acute or gradual correction, stabilization with internal or external fixation, and opening wedge correction through the proximal tibia physeal area. The use of a percutaneous osteotomy in the metaphysis and gradual correction of a large deformity with an external fixator has many advantages. The osteotomy is minimally invasive and does not require extensive soft-tissue stripping, improving the bony healing potential. Complications of osteomyelitis, wound dehiscence, and large keloid scar formation should be less likely. Benefits of the use of external fixation as the method of stabilization are that it allows increased weight bearing and lateral translation of the distal fragment along with the angular correction. Another benefit is the feature of postoperative adjustability after a standing hip to ankle radiograph is obtained and the mechanical axis analysis is performed. The use of a gradual correction may decrease the likelihood of neurovascular insult and compartment syndrome particularly in a patient with a massive deformity as in the current report. Gradual correction should be relatively safe in a Blount's disease patient with a massive varus deformity along with procurvatum and internal tibial torsion. Another advantage of gradual correction with a frame is the possibility for limb lengthening if needed to correct length discrepancy. Opening wedge correction prevents further shortening and loss of bone stock."

Now, what I think is this:

In terms of diet, give her plenty of homemade chicken or turkey soup/bone broth and steam & chop or blend into it some dark greens like kale or collards. Include Phytocal-A in some soft food (open the capsule and mix it in). Use powdered seaweed in her food instead of salt. Give her mineral water (you know my penchant for Gerolsteiner -- buy the fizzy variety if necessary, just shake it/open it/shake it/open it... let it go flat). Let her have little slurps of walnut butter, almond butter. Make fruit smoothies with them if you like. Cook beneficial beans for her, and include steamed, mashed okra for those great polysaccharides and minerals.

In terms of medical treatment, get braces for her legs right away. I know this idea makes you weep, but she is exactly at the right age to benefit from this method. This means alone can save her from the more invasive methods of internal/external frame support correction or surgery.

Pam, my prayers are with you and your little girl. Please keep me posted on what you're doing and how she is responding. If you ever catch yourself blaming yourself for her path, just imagine me standing there shaking my finger at you and saying, WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT THAT?? Obstacles create warriors, my dear -- adult and child. Blessings, and keep me up to date!

_

Hi, Stojan! Your English is lovely, and 10000% better than my Greek. :-)

It is impossible to tell you what your personal risk is of developing MS -- if only 50-70% of people with optic neuritis later show MS symptoms, then you can very easily be one of the 20-50% who will not. Let's focus on how to maximize your health and your odds! I'll bet very, very few of those 20-50% are following the D'Adamo plans, so your odds are already better than most!!

There is no ABO blood group immune to developing MS. Although Type B is the commonest blood group among MS patients, all others are represented, too. According to a 1975 study by S. Papiha and D. Roberts published in Clinical Genetics, group O individuals were the most likely to show serum type Pp2 (low alkaline phosphatase) among a statistical sampling of people with MS. That gives us a clue that eating red meat in accordance with your diet is one simple approach to reduce your chances of developing MS. Eating meat stimulates the production of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, and a wheat/grain-based diet discourages IAP. Eat accordingly, OK?

There is some evidence that getting the Hepatitis B vaccine is a risk factor for developing active MS. If you have received this vaccine, it is not a death sentence; it is good information to have, and which should encourage you to stick to your type O plan, including diet, exercise!! (including a thorough stretching routine), and stress relief.

I would like to recommend the following to you for further information and support: the books Live Right 4 Your Type, the Complete BTD Blood Type Encyclopedia (which lists specific protocols for MS which you can follow now as preventatives), and Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, available in English through online bookstores (like www.amazon.com); and finally, the Rocky Mountain MS Center website, which maintains knowledge bases of complementary medical approaches to treating conditions such as optic neuritis.

I wish you the very best of health, Stojan, and I look forward to hearing from you again!

I am a nurse, diabetic and over weight. A friend recently told me about this diet plan and I went over the type B material yesterday. My question is in regard to the comment there is a wide variety of breads and muffins to chose from. If I am to avoid wheat, where do I find the wide variety? It would seem it would all be made with wheat. Thank you. Mary



Ask your health food store manager, or use a good search engine like alltheweb.com to find breads available by mail. Because of concerned consumer involvement, breads are not all made with wheat anymore. As you are overweight and diabetic, it would aid your healing if you avoided all refined sugar and grain, to the best of your ability. A little brown rice, and sprouted grain bread (like Ezekiel or essene bread -- look at the Food for Life site, or www.naturespath.com, for example) would be the safest choices, but try to limit yourself to no more than one serving 5 times per week. Artisan Breads is a great source for BTD-compliant grain products, if you live in the UK. Good luck, Mary!

Subject: Tomatillas - I am type A and looking for an alternative to tomatoe sauce. You don't have it listed, but do tomatillo's have the same lectin issues with a type A or B person as tomatoes do? I know that this sounds like an obvious question, but sometimes these slightly different vegetables behave differently as with the example of onions and shallots. Your answer to this question would be of enormous help to my meal planning. Thank you so much. Eileen



Hello, Eileen ~ we have no rating for tomatillos. It is a member of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant... so I suspect tomatillos would be fine for types O and AB, but avoid for type A and B secretors (and neutral for A and B nonsecretors). That's my best recommendation based on the patterns of food types in the lists. :-} hope it's helpful!

I have most if not all the books--but two of them conflict. About Pinto beans, the smaller more recent publication says they should be avoided, the larger hardback, says they are benefical I am type 0 negative, 50 year old woman, high estrogen, low thyroid, low energy, needing to slim down and can't. Are pinto beans-an avoid or not? Also the book mentions bladderwrack to assist in losing weight. How much? If I eat watermelon it is an immediate weightgain that doesn't go away. Same with pinto beans-any idea why? Thanks for the assistance. Jan



The more recent publications have the updated food lists. Also, we maintain a change log for more recent developments. For weight loss, 200 mg of bladderwrack taken twice or thrice daily with meals is the recommended dosage. Jan, it appears you'd be better off without watermelon for the time being, as you react to it as you do to pinto beans (which are one of the few foods which upon re-testing have been moved from Beneficial to Avoid). Your system may not be processing wholefood sugars and electrolytes properly -- drink a glass of good mineral water daily (my favorite is Gerolsteiner) and use gray sea salt instead of white iodized salt on your food (low-salt diets are not the way to go). Exercise DEFINITELY belongs at the top of your health-building list, to increase your energy and balance your endocrine function as well as boost your metabolism. Next summer, I promise you'll eat that watermelon with a smile on your face! :-)

I emailed Doc Bron about a week ago and still have not heard back. This is an urgent matter. My fiance is a Blood Type O+ and he is under a lot of stress. Currently he has been losing his hair rapidly, losing weight and not sleeping well. I asked Doc Bron what he recommended for him for this, but still have not heard back. My fiance lives in Guatemala. I'm trying to get this information as soon as possible for him to buy the necessary vitamins, herbs, etc... in order for me to send it to him. Also, for how long would he need to be on this regimen/therapy and after he's done, should he still be following this but only to maintain? Would you be able to help me with this, Please? Beatrice



Hi, Beatrice ~ it's one of the legal facts of life that any doctor who prescribes to an individual without examining that individual can have his license pulled. I'm sure Doc Bron would love to help, but he couldn't do as you asked without breaking the law. :-( Since I know so little about your fiancé and his diet & daily routine, the best thing I could advise you to do is send him two books: Live Right 4 Your Type, and the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, both available in the store on this site and at bookstores on- and off-line. If I can help further, please write back with more specifics -- thanks, dear, and good health to you both!

Once again, thanks to everyone! ~:-D

I am 51 yr ol obese, purchased live right and cook right books and are trying to follow them for weight loss and for better health. I am 4-11 and weigh 180. I have lupus, fibromyalgia, hypothyroisism, buldgeing disc in my back with degeneration also. I have arthritis in my hips, and legs. I am in lots of pain and on the fentanyl patches since thursday for control. I am following the diet as close as I can, and am staying mostly in the beneficial areas of foods. I also gave up diet cokes(from 40 yrs habit!!) cold turkey and drink green tea now with stevia. I manage my mother's health food store, but is is small and I have to purchase most of my foods in the nearest town. I love the breads and am not even craving meats at all. I just need some input as to possible weight loss I may expect if following carefully and I am type A. Thanks for your thoughts on this matter as soon as possible. Annie

Wow! Great job on quitting the diet cokes!! pretty impressive! :-) Just chucked 'em, huh? Whatta gal!!

My chiropractor, who just celebrated his 50th anniversary in practice, always says that the best thing for the back is to be slender. Be careful with that back, and let's just get your weight normalized to begin with. There are exercises, simple-brief-easy and safe, which you can start now if your doctor approves. They can be found at the Royal Canadian Air Force 5BX site. Using the lowest level (Chart One, D-)for two weeks will begin to strengthen the muscles that support your spine, as well as give you more mobility in your legs and back. Look at the site and make notes, talk to your doctor, and start slowly. At first, you may not be able to really perform any of the movements. That's fine! Lots of folks start that way! just make "gestures" at them and work slowly along from day to day.

Next: Chicken Soup. Yep. Secret miracle remedy! :-) You think I'm kidding, don't you! Read on: get a 3 or 4 pound organic chicken. Quarter an onion, and put it in the bottom of a roasting pan along with enough whole carrots & celery stalks to make a kind of rack along the bottom. Toss in 4 or 5 cloves of garlic. Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over it, add 2 cups of water, and put the chicken (rubbed with olive oil and sea salt, inside and out) on top. Roast at 375 F for a couple of hours (baste if you like), until the skin is crisp and the leg & wing joints loosen. Take it out, let it sit and settle for 15 minutes after it's done, then carve the meat off the bones. Now, dump all the bones and everything left in the roasting pan into a pot big enough to hold twice that volume. Cover it with water, 3" above the solid contents. Bring it to a boil, then simmer it for 3-4 hours. Add a squeeze of lemon, and simmer one more hour. The bones will crumble at the pinch of two fingers when you drain the broth. Toss the bones, veg, whatever doesn't go through the colander. You are now in possession of the finest elixir known to man for the repair of cartilage, skin-hair-bone health, and soluble beneficial proteins for general healing of your system.

Here's how you take it: warm it up like tea (not quite boiling, although that won't hurt it - but it might burn your mouth!), pour it in your cup and add a tablespoon of very fresh flax oil, a sprinkle of turmeric, garlic powder, and parsley. This is powerful medicine.

You can make a broth of fish bones the same way, if you buy whole fish which you steam or bake, then toss the bones into a plastic bag for the freezer. Eventually you'll have half a pound or so, and you can boil them for broth in the same way with a bunch of fresh parsley and a carrot & celery stalk added.

Next: have a smoothie in the morning, made of two tablespoons freshly-ground flax meal from the seed (just keep a bag in the fridge), a tablespoon of fish oil, and your favorite fruit (pineapple, plum, berries, mix it up however you'd like) a tablespoon of beneficial nut or seed butter and a few ice cubes. Thin it with spring or mineral water if desired.

Make some salad dressing in your blender, including a whole scoop of nutritional yeast (KAL is tops), a cup of olive oil, juice of a lemon (more or less, to taste), some toasted sesame oil, sea salt. This can top your raw salads and steamed vegetables, and tastes absolutely wonderful.

Because of the lupus and fibro, I want you to use only the 100% sprouted breads until the pain is gone and you no longer need the patches.

Annie, since you work in a health food store you're in the best possible position to get any books or supplements you need. May I recommend Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa? I have been using his Medical Meditations for several months now, and the effect is awesome. You can perform them in just 10 minutes per day. His success with pain relief and healing what mainstream medicine calls "intractable" conditions is stupendous. In fact, he has another book specifically targeted for pain patients, called The Pain Cure.

I suggest these books because the techniques described are absolutely paramount in healing -- perhaps for type As most of all -- and used with their equally powerful nutritional/lifestyle guide, Live Right, they will afford a restorative and enlivening experience for you that no medicine of any kind can hope to approach.

Your weight loss will proceed in the best manner, as your body decides as it heals. I cannot tell you how quickly it will go, but the optimum (and expected) rate would be perhaps 3-5 pounds per week at first (perhaps the first 2-3 weeks), and one to two pounds per week for a month or two, then less as you approach your ideal weight. You may experience fluctuations and plateaus, since your thyroid function is low at this time. Keep strictly to your program, and hold in mind that this plan will see you through to serenity, strength and robust good health in body and mind.

Best of luck to you, dear! Please let me know how you are doing!!

Marina, you are doing exactly the right thing. O's don't benefit much, if at all, from the calcium in dairy, anyway. Our systems resist it immunologically, and the assimilation levels are typically extremely low compared to our type B and AB sisters. The Phytocal-O available on our site is an excellent supplement, with proven high absorption. Also, there is a list of foods high in calcium in Peter's Calcium From Almonds page. Greens, tahini, almonds, blackstrap molasses, etc.... lots of great food sources for you!



Other basic tips: don't use the fish bass, bluefish, carp, flounder, grouper, halibut, mahi mahi, shark, swordfish, tilapia, tuna or whitefish. They are at risk either for mercury levels to which the fetus could be sensitive, or environmental contamination -- again, to which a growing fetus may react. Also, avoid borage herb or oil, flaxseed or flax oil, soy in any form, parsley, cayenne pepper, fennel, chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, fenugreek, licorice, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, chamomile, catnip, Dong Quai, licorice root, raspberry leaf, vervain, and yarrow in all forms. No green tea for you, and severely limit or eliminate alcoholic beverages of all kinds including red wine. This is for safety's sake in the first trimester and will change in some respects as your child nears birth, so let us know where you are in your pregnancy!



The usual beneficial and neutral foods are perfectly fine for you, with the changes noted above. Get your lean red meat early and often, and lots of folic acid from greens and nutritional yeast; eat well and add little snacks, but not beyond the "fullness" feeling; have some good mineral water and homemade broth as often as you can; and exercise "where you are:" do not give it up from laziness, yet do not push yourself beyond comfort. :-) You'll enjoy your pregnancy and be in great health when delivery time comes!!



thanks for your note, dear. I'm all excited to hear how you come along!!!

Interesting article on the power of lectins. Datura is familiar to readers of Carlos Castaneda's 'novels' as one of Don Juan's "helper plants." Our friend Ryan Darius Partovi sent this to me, and suggested the word "lectin" be substituted for the word "protein" throughout. Fascinating reading.... thanks, Ryan!



Enjoy!



Health - Reuters

Smelly Plant Could Offer Brain Cancer Treatment

Tue Oct 1, 1:51 PM ET



LONDON (Reuters Health) - A protein from a highly poisonous, foul-smelling plant known as jimson weed could one day be used to help fight a type of brain cancer called glioma, Japanese researchers reported on Tuesday.

The protein, Datura stramonium agglutinin, or DSA, caused glioma cells with cancerous characteristics to begin developing normally, or differentiating, in lab studies, they report in the British Journal of Cancer for October.

The differentiation DSA induced was irreversible, being sustained once the protein was removed, the researchers report.

"DSA controls glioma cells as a result of glial differentiation rather than actually killing cells," said lead researcher Dr. Tasuku Sasaki, from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology. "Any drug based on this concept would help patients suffering with tumors that are difficult to remove such as gliomas."

Glioma cells were also inhibited from growing and dividing out of control, or proliferating, by the presence of DSA, Sasaki's team reports.

"Taken together, these observations suggest that Datura stramonium agglutinin may be useful as a new therapy for treating glioma without side effects," they write.

Professor John Double, head of the Cancer Research UK Unit at Bradford University, said the discovery was exciting, but extremely preliminary.

"More needs to be done before we have enough evidence to commit to trials. Potential treatment, based on DSA, for this form of brain cancer is still a long way off."

Cancer Research UK's chief executive, Sir Paul Nurse, agreed, noting "there is much work to be done on the journey from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside."

SOURCE: British Journal of Cancer 2002;87:918-923.

Dear madam, I am a 28 year old woman from India (south india),my blood group is o+ and recently i got a copy of Dr.Dadamo's book Eat right 4 your type and i have started following the diet since last 4 days. Normally south indian dishes use a lot of coconut,for my blood type should i completely avoid coconut or can i use it sparingly. For breakfast normally we have rice preparations made from rice flour, i normally have 'Idli',i don't know if you've heared of it, it's made from soaking rice,urad dal (a sort of lentil )&a bit of fenugreek seeds,and make into a somewhat loose batter and steam the batter into small round shape idli's,can i have this for breakfast? Also my height is 5 feet 3 and weight -55 kilo , i don't want to lose weight. Since last 4-5 years my hair has started greying and it falls a lot, it started greying after i was hospitalised for a week (my toe got cut by a new foot wear and i went out in the rain and my leg got infected the next day,it was all swollen up and i got fever as well, in the hospital i took antibiotic injections and tablets and also i went through a lot of stress in my personal life some time back). Also i'm allergic to dust and in between i used to get cold, but now i don't get cold that is after changing our residence and avoiding all the clutter, but i have problem of spelgm when i wake up in the morning. I never used to eat beef or mutton,but just chicken & fish,now i'll include those in my diet. Awaiting eagerly for a reply from your side. sunita

Hello, sunita ~ and welcome!

I hope you are feeling recovered from your infection and allergies! It sounds as if you would benefit greatly from red meat and more green vegetables in your diet, to help fight infection and stimulate healthy hair growth.

Lentils and coconut are generally not recommended for Os. Nonsecretor Os can have lentils and coconut oil, but coconut is an avoid for nearly everyone. I feel rather shy discussing these things, since they are such common elements in your traditional cuisine. Dal is eaten with every main meal, no? And coconuts are a staple, for both their meat and milk. If it is possible to substitute other beans for the lentils in some dishes, and use less coconut & coconut milk, I think you will have less phlegm upon awakening. Exercise and adequate protein and fat (ghee) will help control your weight by developing muscle and supporting healthy connective tissue.

If you can tell me more about what kinds of food and herbs are available to you there, I'll try to give more specifics for you.

Again, I hope you are doing well ~ please write again! Thank you!

Heidi, Greatly enjoy your column. I'm an American living in France, and have been following the O type diet (though not strictly) for several years. I have the BTD book, but next time in the USA, I'll buy one of the newer ones with updates. If I only get one, which is the best to get to have current info on foods and supplements? I'm not really interested in theory, as I have no qualms accepting it. And can I buy it at a book store, or only order it from NAP? Until I get it, I have a small potpourri of questions that I hope you can help me with. First, is MSM okay for type O? How about GSE, and does it contribute to an ongoing problem with acidity? Is Colloidal Silver really an effective anti-biotic, and is it safe to take it instead of a Doctor prescribed anti-biotic? And, if so, is it okay for O's?? Second, I take Armour Thyroid, which is made from pig's thyroid glands, I think. Being from a pig, is it a problem for O types? Third, sheep and goat yogurt are common in France. ER4YT says to avoid all yogurt varieties for type O, but don't know if it really refers to yogurts from animals other than cows. What about this? Lastly, I always steam my vegetables in the microwave, but recently read on a website that microwaves destroy vitamins in all foods. Is this true? I hope not, as it is a life saver, but guess I should know if I am ruining all my great "beneficial" veggies! Thanks for your advice, and keep it up! ~Abby~





Hello, Abby! The books are all available in major bookstore chains, as well as many smaller shops, health food stores... I've even seen them in pharmacies. I'd say it's a choice between the Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and Live Right 4 Your Type. The Encyclopedia has far more supplement information, is primarily prescriptive, and contains a current food list. Live Right has a wealth of health-building strategies, along with detailed food lists. See the updates page for changes made since publication.



Over the years we've seen that MSM is unlikely to be of harm to anyone. :-) May I suggest the msm-msm.com website: ~lowest prices for highest purity!



Grapefruit seed extract can be very helpful in anti-candida protocols, and shouldn't give you any acidic symptoms.



Instead of colloidal silver, I've found a less hazardous and far more effective product: Heallix, composed of ionized silver and fulvic acid. Read all about it on Leo's site. He and his product are very fine indeed. I and friends use Heallix occasionally for everything from a cut or scrape to impending cold or more serious health concerns. It appears to work for everyone with nary a side effect, and rather miraculously in our experience. See what you think!



Armour Thyroid is unlikely to contain any of the galectin we seek to avoid by eschewing pig meat. Besides, it is used only in therapeutic situations. The alternative (Synthroid) is no better, and probably worse. If you still have your thyroid, I hope the diet (including plenty of seaweeds, and some supplements if necessary) may reduce your need for the Armour ~ but in the meantime, don't worry about the "pork" aspect! :-)



Ha! I was waiting for a dairy question. After all, you live in FRANCE! I expected "cheese," but yogurt fills the bill. (I can tell you that if I lived in France, the question would be ALL about cheeses!! ) I have no authoritative data on sheep vs cow yogurt OR cheese, but you can test it on yourself and will probably get a quick answer right there at home. Try some regular cow yogurt, and see if you experience some sniffling, sneezing or coughing. I predict you will clear your throat a fair bit, or have a runny nose, within half an hour. If you can pinpoint clear symptoms, that's great! Round two is, next day, try some sheep yogurt. Next day, the goat yogurt. And post me a full report! :-D



Well, just recently I read somewhere on the Minnesota Wellness Directory pages that microwaving garlic for as little as one minute destroys its cholesterol-lowering properties. Whoo! I've no way of testing this assertion, but I've taken to warming things in the toaster/broiler instead these days. Peter has said it's best not to cook things in the MW, but warming-up isn't going to turn us into Venusians or anything. See if you can adapt your steaming technique to a stovetop pot or oven routine. And don't let yourself be alarmed by all the health scares and Powerful Advice on the Internet (including from me!!) to the point you give up on your veg and start eating Bigue Macques or anything. ~~;-D



With all the gorgeous fresh, organic and wild food available in the bounty of France, I'm sure your regimen will accomplish your health goals in record time. Enjoy the abundance, and eat a little fresh herbed chèvre for me, OK?



Thanks for writing, dear!